News
Top speakers set to take the stage at DIVE 2014
Due to popular demand over recent years there have been more interactive experiences within the hall itself at the Birmingham Dive Show, and at DIVE 2014 this trend will continue with a rolling programme of presentations from top diving speakers on both the main DIVER Stage and the Centre Stage in the PhotoZone.
The full special guest presentation line-up has still to be finalised, but already set to speak are divers of the calibre of TV presenters Monty Halls and Andy Torbet, Australian great white shark deep cage-diving specialist Andrew Fox, and technical instructor Mark Powell, whose latest provocative presentation title is “Are Rebreathers Safe?”
Newcomers at DIVE 2014 will be crime-fighting divers Claire Gwinnett and Laura Walton-Williams, who run courses in underwater forensics, and South Africa’s Patrick Voorma, who seems to be uncovering historic wrecks by the month.
Other technical wreck-divers include the familiar faces of Jack Ingle, with his workshop on being a better wreck diver, and Leigh Bishop, who this year is taking part in some extraordinary, deep and at the moment still secret expeditions.
At the less hairy end of the diving spectrum, it’s hoped that some recent Miss Scuba champions are present to share their experiences, too!
Here is some information on the speakers who are booked so far:
| LEIGH BISHOP OUT OF WEST AFRICA  The deep wreck-diver and photographer, a frequent Show presenter over the years, can be guaranteed to have one exciting project or another on the go. Earlier this year he took part in an international diving expedition to Sierra Leone, the West African country which, with its volatile recent history, is on few tourist wish-lists. |
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| ANDREW FOX GREAT WHITE EXPERIENCES  Half a century ago, Australian Rodney Fox became the great white shark-attack survivor who hit the headlines and became a household name. He went on to build a shark-based operation known worldwide, and today his son Andrew runs both Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions and the Fox Shark Research Foundation. Andrew Fox debuts at the Dive Show to talk about shark cage-diving with a difference – you don’t meet these sharks just beneath the surface, but on the seabed. |
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| MARCUS GREATWOOD EXTREME2 UK CAVE-FREEDIVING  In the September issue of DIVER Magazine you can read about the remarkable first outing for freedive instructor Marcus Greatwood and his NoTanx team, exploring a cold, dark and flooded slate quarry in north Wales without the help of scuba gear. Marcus, who has done more than most to popularise freediving in the UK, knows that the cave-freedive combination that he calls Extreme2 isn’t for everyone, but hopes it will at least gain a foothold! |
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| CLAIRE GWINNETT & LAURA WALTON-WILLIAMS DEATH IN THE DEPTHS   Investigating underwater crime scenes: Staffordshire University’s Forensic and Crime Science department delivers the only course outside the USA in underwater crime scene documentation, interpretation of evidence and body recovery.Lecturers Drs Claire Gwinnett and Laura Walton-Williams will take us through some case-based analysis – this one promises to be compelling. |
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| MONTY HALLS GREAT BRITISH DIVING EXPEDITIONS  Last year Monty’s purposedesigned Land Rover Defender was a big talking point at the Show. This year his 4×4 pride and joy has something to pull – Monty is bringing along his new “sexy as hell” Humber dive-RIB, purpose-designed to make divers drool.He’ll tell us about this and the related series of projects that have dominated his activities in 2014, the Great British Diving Expeditions to hard-to-reach sites, with some great footage along the way. |
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| JACK INGLE WRECK-DIVING TECHNIQUE  Jack Ingle’s popular workshops on the finer points of kit configuration shaped the habits of a generation of divers, but these days the wreck expedition leader’s Show sessions are aimed at fine-tuning our approach to wreck-diving – and are going down equally well. When Jack gives a practical demonstration of line-laying in low visibility, you remember it! |
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| MARK POWELL ARE REBREATHERS SAFE?  Technical diving instructor Mark Powell can always be relied upon to come up with a provocative presentation title, and this one is no exception. There have been too many incidents, some fatal, involving closed-circuit rebreathers, but rarely are they shown to be anything other than the result of human error. The new generation of recreational rebreathers claim to be fail-safe, but is that the case? Let Mark be your guide. |
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| ANDY TORBET TECH DIVING ON TELE  TV presenter, all-round man of action and top Show speaker Andy Torbet discusses the growing influence of mixed-gas, rebreather and cave-diving in broadening (and deepening) the scope of diving on TV.He has been working recently on a series of films for BBC’s One Show– programmes that demonstrate this trend. |
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| PATRICK VOORMA DURBAN’S GHOST FLEET  This South African wreck-diver is what you might call proactive. Exploring some of the 140 sites off Durban in recent years he has found a series of previously unknown wrecks, including the submarine HMS Otus; the Istar/USS Nahma; a possible WW2 Japanese submarine; and the Umzimvubu/Namaqua on which Winston Churchill escaped the Boers, describing the voyage as “the worst that I have ever experienced”. |
For more information about DIVE 2014, visit www.diveshows.co.uk. To book tickets for the show, click here.
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Renowned anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from custody in Greenland after spending five months in detention. Denmark’s Justice Ministry rejected Japan’s request for his extradition, citing insufficient guarantees that his time already served in custody would be credited against any potential sentence.
The 74-year-old Canadian-American was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, when his ship docked to refuel. His arrest was based on a 2012 Japanese warrant related to a 2010 encounter in Antarctic waters. Japan alleged Watson obstructed operations and caused damage to a whaling research ship during efforts to disrupt illegal whaling. Watson has consistently denied these claims, maintaining his commitment to marine conservation.
Denmark, which oversees extradition matters for Greenland, concluded that while the legal conditions for extradition were met, the lack of assurances from Japan regarding time-served credit made extradition untenable.
In a video shared by his foundation, Watson expressed gratitude and relief, saying, “After five months, it’s good to be out… and good to know they’re not sending me to Japan.” He added that the most difficult part of his time in custody was being separated from his two young sons.
Watson is a pioneering figure in marine conservation, known for founding the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2022 after decades of activism with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His bold efforts to defend marine life have earned him widespread support, including from celebrities and conservationists. His work has also been featured in the acclaimed reality TV series Whale Wars.
Watson’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, praised the decision, stating, “We are happy and relieved that Paul Watson is now free.” He added that Watson is eager to reunite with his family and continue his vital work.
The arrest occurred while Watson’s vessel, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was en route to the North Pacific with a team of 26 volunteers to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. His foundation described the arrest as politically motivated and emphasized that Watson’s actions were focused on ending illegal whaling practices.
Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission, asserting that whale meat is a cultural tradition. Conservationists, however, continue to challenge these practices, highlighting their impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the challenges, Watson remains steadfast in his mission to protect marine life and bring attention to whaling practices. His dedication to ocean conservation has made him a globally respected advocate for the environment.
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